Two people died in a head-on crash Wednesday on Austell Road north of Sweetwater Lane in Austell following a high-speed police chase.

The Cobb County Police Department is assisting the Austell Police Department with the investigation of the double fatality wreck, said Michael Bowman, spokesman for the Cobb Police.

Preliminary findings from investigators indicate that an Austell police officer was attempting to make a traffic stop on a silver 2005 Acura TL on Pontiac Circle near Maxham Road. The officer apparently noticed a minor traffic violation and tried to pull over the silver Acura.

But as the officer attempted to approach the driver of the Acura, the driver of the Acura sped northbound on Maxham Road in the southbound lanes, according to a news release issued by Bowman. After passing Sweetwater Lane on Austell Road and out of sight from the officer who attempted the traffic stop, the driver of the silver Acura collided head on with a gold 2000 Acura 3.5RL.

The driver of the silver 2005 Acura TL has been identified as 29-year-old Chrystina L. Stanford of Roswell. He was pronounced dead at the scene, Bowman said.

The driver of the gold 2000 Acura 3.5RL has been identified as 41-year-old Gary V. Sheppard of Marietta. He was also pronounced dead at the scene.

The investigation is ongoing, said Bowman. He did not say what type of “traffic stop” the Austell officer had initiated that led to the chase.

2 truly pass judgement on someone u must know them personally. I knew Chrissy she was a wonderful transgender woman. Discriminated upon and still well mannered and educated. It is tragic to see a friend go in this way. My condolences go out 2her family and The family of the victim. DearFriend <-- I am truly sorry for the lost of your friend gary. But chrissy was far from a devil. I can't change the fact that she was in the wrong. But accidents happen all the time and god makes no mistakes.

Gary you are so missed and we love you more than life it self. To see someone that was a great dad, love partner, son, brother, friend and co-worker to go to soon due to a devil act of a person is heart breaking. My your Angels comfort you now and watch over your family that you left behind!

I hope you are incorrect. The officers were doing their job. Good thing the suspect is dead, saves us all a lot of money. But, it is a true tragedy that Ms. Scumbag took someone with her.

L.Rhonda

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April 19, 2013

No you idiot...the police isn't to blame, HOWEVER it has not been CLEARLY stated what was the initial reason for the traffic stop, AND how the officer allegedly "approached" the vehicle. Cobb County has a "no chase" policy, so who's to say that the police actually chased behind the drunk driver?? The speed in which the driver was going was extremely fast. My brother was just on his way to work....and he was killed senselessly.

Just Wait

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April 19, 2013

Just for accuracies sack, it was the Austell police that initiated the traffic stop, not Cobb County and Cobb County does not have a no chase policy. Don't know about Austell.

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